BY GLENDA TAYONA
ILOILO City – Police units here that can arrest drug traffickers will be receiving cash rewards from the city government.
Mayor Jerry Treñas said his office is currently working out the specific amount of the cash reward.
“We give all-out support to our police in their antidrug campaign,” Treñas said, pointing out that the city government has been supportive of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO), especially in terms of logistics and equipment.
He added: “We must not allow the drug menace to affect our communities. We should all work together to eradicate this.”
Treñas, meanwhile, clarified that Jerome Dequiña of Barangay Buntatala, Jaro district who was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Pavia, Iloilo on Aug. 24 was not a city hall job hire.
He made the clarification in reaction to reports that Dequiña was a city government job hire under the Task Force Anti-Illegal Squatting and Illegal Settlers.
Treñas said Dequiña’s contract was terminated in July yet for failing to pass the drug test which was a requirement for job contract renewal.
“We do not tolerate substance abuse and the selling of illegal drugs,” Treñas stressed.
To date, Iloilo City has 93 – out of 180 – barangays declared as drug cleared and are steadfast in maintaining their status.
The Iloilo City Peace and Order Council (CPOC), meanwhile, got a perfect score in the 2021 POC Performance Audit of the Department of Interior and Local Government Regional Office 6.
The CPOC garnered 100% in 2021 and 87.50% in 2019, above the national average of 73% and 75.52% for 2019 and 2021, respectively.
The Iloilo City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ICADAC) also got a high functional rating of 90% in 2021. (With report from Iloilo City PIO/PN)